Business Central updates come thick and fast – monthly minor updates and major waves every April and October. These updates bring new features, performance improvements, and important fixes, but they can also bring risk, especially if you’re not prepared.
That’s where a solid Business Central update testing approach comes in.
Let’s explore how best to test updates, what to focus on, and where automation can help make your life easier.
Not All Updates Are Equal
Microsoft splits updates into two types:
- Minor updates – These arrive every month and typically contain bug fixes and behind the scenes enhancements. They rarely cause issues, but it’s still wise to give them a quick once-over before applying them to your live environment.
- Major updates – Released twice a year, these introduce new functionality, changes to existing features, and occasionally remove or replace older components. This is where the risk of a breaking change is much higher – particularly if your system has been customised or integrated with third-party solutions.
Learn more about the Microsoft update cadence here:
👉 Microsoft Learn – Update Cycle
Best Practice for Business Central Update Testing
A good update testing process doesn’t need to be overly complicated, but it does need to be structured. Here are the key things to consider:
1. Use Your Sandboxes
Microsoft gives you up to three sandboxes per environment. These are perfect for testing updates in a safe, isolated space without impacting your production system. Before applying updates, replicate your live environment in a sandbox and run through key scenarios.
2. Focus on Critical Processes
Testing everything is unrealistic, so focus on what matters most:
- Sales and purchasing flows
- Financial postings and reports
- Customised features or extensions
- Integrations with external systems (e.g. banking, warehousing, e-commerce)
The more complex your setup, the deeper your testing needs to be.
3. Plan for Major Updates
When a major update is due, involve your team early. Schedule time for each department to test the areas they rely on. Check integrations, validate customisations, and make sure reporting still works as expected.
And if you’re approaching a critical business period (like year end), consider using Microsoft’s update deferral option – you can delay updates by up to 60 days to give yourself breathing space.
Automating Business Central Update Testing
For organisations with more complex setups or regular development cycles, automation can save serious time and reduce risk.
One of the most powerful tools available is Page Scripting, a feature designed to record and replay user actions in Business Central. It allows you to create repeatable tests without writing a single line of code – ideal for regression testing after an update.
Learn more about Page Scripting here:
👉 Microsoft Learn – Page Scripting
For those with in-house development teams, Microsoft also provides an Automated Test Toolkit. This allows you to write AL based tests that validate functionality at a code level – especially useful for heavily customised solutions.
Final Thoughts
The key to effective Business Central update testing is consistency.
- Use your sandbox environments to trial updates before they go live
- Prioritise critical processes and integrations
- Automate where possible using tools like Page Scripting and the Test Toolkit
- Don’t underestimate the impact of customisations
Regular testing helps avoid surprises and keeps your business running smoothly, update after update.
Need help putting a structured testing plan in place or making the most of your sandboxes? That’s exactly the kind of thing we do at Quick Dynamics.